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Victorian Nordock
Victorian Nordock is a persistent world originally based on the Nordock module. It was founded in early 2005 by Nathan and has undergone a lot of changes since then. The server has a strong sense of community with many regular players, most of whom are more than happy to help new players get started. The server is based in Australia but has many players from all over the world. New players are encouraged to register at the server's forum and post a welcome message under "Profiles". Crafting This server uses the ATS crafting system, which makes many different crafts available. The primary skills include weapon crafting, armor crafting, tailoring, jewel crafting, tinkering, fletching, and bowmaking, and the secondary skills include blacksmithing, mining, tanning, and gemcutting. Each character starts with a skill level of 0 in each skill, which can be increased through practice to a maximum of 400 for primary skills and 200 for secondary skills. Skill points are earned by crafting items at one of the ATS crafting stations. There are no level or class requirements for being a crafter, although some classes lend themselves better to different crafts. All that is required to master a craft is a tool, some materials, and a lot of patience. A good place to start learning crafting skills is the Benzor Tradeskills Workshop, located just to the east of the Benzor Temple of Life. Inside the workshop are master crafters who can begin an aspirant's instruction in a trade. After speaking with one of the master crafters, a PC is given a small number of starting points in the appropriate crafting skill. To further increase this skill, the PC will need to start crafting, which requires purchasing a crafting tool. At low skill levels, there are only a small number of items and only the most basic of materials that can be crafted. At higher levels, more items and materials become possibilities. Items are color-coded to indicate the relative difficulty of crafting them — from red (most difficult) to dark blue to light blue and finally to green (easiest). Crafting a red item almost always results in a skill increase upon success, but success is rare. The most efficient skill increases (based on effort required) come from crafting dark and light blue items. Crafting a green item will never produce an increase in skill level. Weapon crafting is probably the easiest craft to master first, so will be described here as an example. As mining and blacksmithing are the secondary skills associated with weapon crafting, these will also be covered. Learning the art of weapon crafting is begun by asking the master blacksmith in the Benzor Tradeskills Workshop to teach weapon crafting. In addition, some supplies must be purchased — a few copper pickaxes (they break) and a couple of copper smithing hammers. With these preparations, ore can be mined. The easiest mines to get to are the Old Benzor Quarry, located one map north of Benzor in the small tower, and the Black Hill Mine (Cappy Deek at the Benzor Docks sells tickets to the Black Hills). Inside the mine, an attempt to procure ore is accomplished by clicking on some mineable rock while a pickaxe is equipped. Not all rocks are equally easy to mine. The easiest rocks are normally located closest to the entrance; success depends on both mining skill and strength modifier. Rocks that are beyond the miner's skill yield the message "You are too unskilled to break free anything from this rock", while successful mining produces either "You break free some rocks but could not find anything" or "You have found some copper ore." It may take several "successful" mining attempts to find some ore. The types of ore that can be mined depend on a PC's mining skill and become accessible in the order copper, bronze, iron, silver, gold, shadow, verdicite, rubicite, syenite, then mithril. Once mined, ore should be taken to the tradeskills workshop or the Hall of Gond (in the Black Hills) for smelting. Clicking on the forge opens an inventory window into which ore (and bags of ore) can be placed. There is no limit to how much ore can be placed in the forge. Next, the flame height needs to be set, then the smelter must choose to "smelt ore". Low flame has the least chance of success, but the highest yield when successful. High flame has the greatest chance of success, but the lowest yield when successful. It is advisable to use the highest setting when trying to gain skill points, as success is more important than quantity in this case. Each piece of ore processed will produce a report on how many ingots were created. These ingots will be automatically placed in the smelter's inventory as the ore is removed from the forge. (Bags need to be retrieved from the forge manually.) Possession of ingots allows weapons to be crafted. Clicking the anvil while a smithing hammer is equipped starts a conversation that lists the crafting options. Only the currently available options will appear; as skill is gained, more options become available, and the color of existing options may change to indicate a greater likelihood of success and a reduced chance of skill improvement. The red and blue items are the ones that can improve crafting skills, so these are the ones that should be focused on while training. A typical start to weapon crafting is a copper dagger, which can be found by selecting "weapons", "blades", then "daggers". With luck, the selected item will be crafted, and some skill points will be gained, unlocking more options in the conversation. After crafting, unwanted items can be placed in the bin. Alternatively, they can be placed back in the forge and converted back into ingots by choosing "salvage". This allows additional crafting practice without the need for additional mining. In any event, the items must not be left on the ground as this contributes to lag on the the server. Events Events are DM-, or the occasional player-, run games that come in a variety of forms. These events are normally held in special arenas where death penalties are ignored, allowing players to really "go for it" and have some fun. When events are held in Victorian Nordock, some special rules are in effect. The following items and abilities are prohibited: *persistent area of effect spells, *time stop, *true seeing (unless from a spell cast upon oneself), *heal potions, *healer's kits, *disarm, and *critical hit immunity from rings. Resting is only available on special Event Cots in the respawn area. If a player is stuck due to a hold spell, a shout or tell for a quick death is permitted. Players are to respawn upon death; these players may re-enter the event via the portal in the respawn area. In a capture the flag or a dummy bash event, two teams compete in a race to destroy all the combat dummies in each others' fort. In a siege event, one team act as the defenders who protect an NPC king in a castle. The other team must storm the castle and kill the king within a set amount of time. In a ship-to-ship event, each team mans a ship. Then the teams engage in combat conducted with spells and ranged weapons. The team whose ship has the last living crew member wins. Nordball is a Victorian Nordock version of soccer/football. In this event, two teams compete to score the most goals in a set amount of time. Quests Victorian Nordock employs a system of special quests obtainable at temples throughout the game world. An individual character can obtain and redeem these quests by praying at any altar. They are assigned randomly to each player, and there is no limit to how many times they can be attempted. Starting players are encouraged to complete these quests in a party, as each member will receive the rewards. At epic levels, the rewards include items that enhance gameplay. These include gems to customize magical items and a rod that converts unwanted items in the player inventory into gold. Exploring Victorian Nordock Some of the areas for level 1 to 3 characters to explore around Benzor are the following. ;Benzor sewers : The sewers of Benzor are a great starting point for all adventurers. The fire beetle bellies obtainable there can be sold to the potion maker in the market in the northwest corner of Benzor for a tidy sum, and the sewers are easily accessible from Benzor via the grate just north of the entry point. There is a rat catcher on the way in who should be spoken to. ;Benzor cemetery : The cemetery of Benzor is another great place for new players with a restless spirit. The cemetery is accessed through the gates in the northwest corner of Benzor. Also in the northwest corner is a potion maker who will buy any skeleton knuckles found in the cemetery. Further exploration of the cemetery will reveal two crypts and a south gate leading to the slums of Benzor. ;Benzor slums : The slums of Benzor can be reached from the western edge of Benzor or the southern gate in the cemetery. This is the home of some of Benzor's less friendly inhabitants and is not a place for a quiet afternoon stroll. The slums lead to the Benzor slum sewers and Ornal Pass. ;Benzor slum sewers : The sewers of Benzor's slums have an entrance in the eastern part of the slums. Beware the grates. ;Benzor swamp : The Benzor swamp shelters a kobold shaman with a staff that can be given to Captain Tucker near the Benzor east gate for a reward. The path to the swamp leads through Benzor's north gate, then east through Benzor Woods to the Benzor Woods trail. Going south through the trail leads to Benzor swamp. ;Goblin Flats : The entrance to the Goblin Flats lies in Benzor Flats, immediately north of the exit from Benzor via the main east gate. ;Benzor to Trondor Return (Level 1 to 3) Starting in Benzor: #Enter the cemetery through the gates in the northwest corner of the map and explore both the crypts. #Enter Benzor Slums through the south gate of the cemetery. #Once you are in Benzor Slums look for the entrance to the sewers in the eastern part of the map. #Once you have explored the Benzor Slum Sewers return to Benzor from the eastern side of the Slums map. #Catch the boat form Benzor Docks to Trondor by purchasing a ticket to "Trondor" from Cappy Deek on the dock, then talk to the Benzor boat captain, Charles Bernard. #From Trondor enter the Trondor Cemetery in the northwest corner of the map. #Return to Trondor and make your way to the inn in the northern part of the village and talk to Kence, the Town Mayor. #Follow the road north from the village into Trondor Pass. #From Trondor Pass you will find the entrance to Dorneryl Farm in the northwest corner of the map. #From Trondor Pass you will find the entrance to Trondor Caves in the northeast corner of the map. #Return to the mayor for your reward once you have completed your quests. #Follow the road north from the village into Trondor Pass. #Head north through Trondor Pass to Bria’s Fay. #From Bria's Fray head east into the Halfing Wood. #Use the portal to the Eastern March (one way). #Take the road north from the Weary Rest Inn to Garbablog Tribe Valley. #Head north through Garbalog Tribe Valley and enter Garbalog cave. #Head north through Garbalog Cave to the Garbalog Raider Outpost. #Only continue north to the Torn Snout Woods once your character has progressed to a high level. #Return to the Eastern March and follow the road west. #Head west through Benzor River Valley. (There are two caves and a crypt to explore in this area.) #Head west through Benzor Flats to return to Benzor. Changes Victorian Nordock makes the following changes to the standard spells. * The holy avenger property has been modified on certain weapons to use the number of paladin levels as the caster level for the dispel check. * Implosion can be blocked by immunity to death magic. * The regenerate spell does not stack with itself. Regeneration items act as normal. * Time stop only works within the area where it is cast. * Vampiric touch does not require a touch attack to hit, and the damage is capped at 20d6. * Chain lightning's damage is capped at 40d6. * Melf's acid arrow stacks with itself. * Flesh to stone bypasses spell resistance. * Phantasmal killer is treated as death magic (rather than a mind-affecting spell). * Word of faith returns outsiders to their home planes (kills them without the caster getting credit) in addition to its usual effects. (This is similar to what the standard spell used to do.) * Weird is treated as both death magic and mind-affecting (rather than fear); protection from either prevents the instant kill effect. In addition, the experience point system has been altered to strongly discourage groups with a greater level gap than 5 levels. Upon death on this server, a PC is sent to "Fugue". To escape from Fugue, a PC can use the guardian statue there to resurrect for an experience point (XP) cost. The XP cost is reduced if the PC is resurrected by a cleric using a balm or by another player paying 15,000gp at a temple. Requests for this aid can be made by shouting "rez plz", but someone making such a request should be prepared to repay the 15,000gp to whoever responds by resurrecting the shouter at a temple. (Most players use the guardian statue to resurrect themselves for just an XP cost until around level 12, as they find the difference in the XP cost is not enough to justify the 15,000gp fee for a temple resurrection.) Once resurrected, a PC will appear where the resurrection took place, either in the temple where the fee was paid or next to the cleric who used a balm. In the former case, the resurrected PC can use the portal in the temple to travel (for free) to the leader of the PC's party (if the PC is in a party). Server etiquette and rules Players are expected to adhere to the following points of etiquette. *Items that are no longer wanted should be either sold to a merchant or placed in one of the "recycling bins" located in various locations throughout the server. Dropped items increase demands on the server and contribute to lag. *If a player shouts for a resurrection (e.g. "Rez plz"), then any player who happens to be near a temple with the necessary 15,000gp necessary should take a moment to resurrect the shouting player. No one likes sitting in Fugue waiting for a resurrection, and the resurrected player will reimburse the cost. *If a player shouts that they are looking for a party (e.g. "lvl 2 lfp"), every player within 5 levels of the shouter should invite the shouter to join their party. (This is done by pressing the 'p' key to bring up the list of players, then selecting the name of the character in question and pressing the "invite" button.) *When a party encounters monsters, all monsters should be killed before any corpses are looted. Party members should take turns looting corpses so that everyone gets (roughly) an equal share of the loot. *Everyone's right to play in a fun and friendly environment should be respected. Players are required to adhere to the following rules. A more detailed explanation of these are available in the forum. *In the game, the Dungeon Master (DM) is always right. *Foul language is prohibited. *Player characters (PCs) must not loot anything that they did not kill. The final blow is not always dealt by the person who actually killed the beast. *Groups must finish a fight before anyone starts searching corpses. *Attacking another player's opponent(s) is forbidden, unless that player asks for assistance, or you are positive that they need it. *When players meet in an area, they should offer to join forces, allowing both players to enjoy the area. If this offer is declined, whoever arrived second must wait their turn. *Camping an area is discouraged. Each group can kill one run of spawns then stand aside for another group. *When running from a monster, the monster is not to be led to unsuspecting players. If this does happen, the fleeing PC must help the other players defeat the beast, apologize, and thank them for the aid. *Roleplaying (RP) is optional. Victorian Nordock is a social server and as such the shout channel at times can be busy with general banter. Those who enjoy RP will find both players and DMs that will respond, but it is not mandatory. *Do not kill NPCs unless they ask for a fight in their conversation, or unless they are an NPC guard. *Consent from both/all players is required before initiating PvP actions, except in DM-run events. To prevent any confusion on consent, it is required that challenges be issued verbally. Once a PC has been killed, consent must be re-obtained to continue. *Players committing acts of aggression have given a non-verbal consent to PvP. However, before attacking players who have committed acts of aggression, players are required to place their opponent(s) to dislike. *Pickpocketing is highly restricted versus other players and NPCs. The victim can be no more than 5 levels below the pickpocket, the attempts must be roleplayed, the pickpocket must take a screenshot of whatever was gained, and the victim must be allowed to chase the pickpocket for a reasonable amount of time before the pickpocket logs off (10 minutes real time minimum). Picking a pocket is automatic consent for PvP. If the victim kills the pickpocket in a PvP battle, the stolen items must be returned. Only one pick pocket attempt is allowed per target per server reset. ** Due to these restrictions and the hostility it can cause, it is advised to not do it at all. *Do not exploit any bug in the game or in the server scripts. This includes bypassing an area's PvP setting. *Despite the experience clamp in place, experience farming for lower level players is still considered an exploit, as is injuring creatures down to near death and then allowing lower levels to take the kill. *Players must attempt to kill all spawns; chest running will not be tolerated. Community This server was founded by Nathan Croucher, and is currently administered by Shai. The current Dungeon Masters are Aowen, Ari, Leather, Mike, Rodent, R'agon, and Shai. Regular players on this server include: ADMayo (Thunder), Airiana Storhm (Mistress Leather), Akyleon (Aky), Alizard (Anarchy), Antos1 (Anto), Aowen, ArithonM (Arithon), atp24 (Fastos), Aussie Max (Duncan), azzradien (Azz), Badjaccur Gootera (Badjaccur), Blue_Fire_88 (Mike), Bonan the Backstabber (Bonan), Bracy de Beauf (Bracy), chief21 (Chief), cleversonpickler (Cleverson), cmdr. smoke (Diablos), EmpireGuard (Emp), f16dragon (R'agon), Fennelli (Fenelli), FistsFirst (Fisty), Flame2400 (Flame), FriarJohnno (Johnno), Furynmk2 (Fury), GABRIELCASTRICINIDEMELLO (Gabriel), Garry Greycloak (Garry), Gordoinc (JD), jimi.chi (Jimi), Justina_Ann (Justina), keithrolfe (Keith), MongrelSun (Mongrel), msu320 (msu), Myrthe Mooncat (Myrthe), NeverWalkAlone (Thunderstruck), Newt Bayrule (Newt), niruc (niruc), pedromiguelx (Pedro), Rani Carndt (Loli), sarcomere (Layla), Seeker2679 (Aowen), Shy'tan (Shai), Sinister_retsiniS (Sinister), Sir Conn (Max), Snake79 (Snake), splashyfish (Splashy), SunnyRaining (Azayev), Taeorae (Tae), theflyingrodent (Rodent), ThorJR (Jr), THORKING (Thor), Torin Bloodbath (Torin), troll545 (Troll), (Victor) victor wallorder1 (Wall), Warwp (Warwp), WestHawk (Rangar Black), westnet (Barac), xWhitetailx (Whitey), Yaryn (Yaryn), Zelsirm (Zel), and Zosk (Zosk). This server features four guilds, namely Sons of Thunder, The Death Dealers, Knights of the Shadowrealms, and Zen.